Jared Kushner, the U.S. Special Envoy for Peace, held a meeting with Hamas leaders in Egypt on Sunday, according to a report from Axios. The meeting, described as unusual, focused on persuading Hamas to disarm Gaza and translate its commitment to demilitarization into concrete steps.
Kushner is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to discuss the steps Israel must take as part of the U.S.'s 20-point Gaza peace plan. The plan aims to facilitate Gaza's reconstruction and recovery under a technocratic Palestinian government, removing Hamas from future governance roles.
Sources close to the meeting indicated that the discussion centered on Hamas relinquishing its governing authority and weapons. "There can be no ambiguity: Hamas must relinquish governing authority and all weapons and military infrastructure. And Gaza can never again be a source of terror for Israel," one source told the publication.
The meeting occurred as the Trump administration's Board of Peace continues to press Hamas and Israel to advance to the next phase of the peace framework. Proposed in September 2025, the plan led to an initial ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange.
This engagement follows previous disagreements on the sequencing of disarmament and withdrawal. In late July, Hamas agreed to turn over its weapons as part of the peace plan, but Netanyahu publicly rejected it, stating Israel would not withdraw until Hamas was fully disarmed.
Netanyahu has maintained his position that Israel will not conduct any withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed of all weapons. Hamas, conversely, has stated it would only disarm after Israel fully withdraws from Gaza and ends military operations, with a surrender of heavy weapons contingent on the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu has also reiterated his long-standing opposition to Palestinian statehood, a stance that has drawn criticism. Senior Hamas official Basim Naeem urged U.S. officials and international mediators to pressure Netanyahu to adhere to the roadmap and prevent him from obstructing the process for domestic political reasons. Naeem stated Hamas remains committed to the Board of Peace's proposal as an act of "national responsibility."
